THE AMARANTH. 



few lines. The author regrets the rapid flight of time and 

 the fleeting beauty of summer flowers, and then adds, — 



" Je t'apergois, belle et noble Amarante ! 

 Tu viens m'offrir, pour charmer mes douleurs. 

 De ton velours la richesse dclatante ; 

 Ainsi la main de I'amitie constante, 

 Quand tout nous fuit, vient essuyer nos pleurs. 

 Ton doux aspect de ma lyre plaintive 

 A ranim^ les accords languissants. 

 Dernier tribut de Flore fugitive, 

 Elle nous legue, avec la fleur tardive, 

 Le souvenir de ses premiers presents." 



Queen Christina of Sweden, who wished to win for herself a 

 name, by abdicating the throne that she might devote herself 

 to literature and philosophy, founded an Order of Knights 

 of the Amaranth. The decoration of this order is a gold 

 medal, embellished with an Amaranth in enamel, with the 

 motto, Dolce nclla incinoria. 



In the floral games at Toulouse, the prize for the best 

 lyric songs is a golden Amaranth. 



Our own Milton was not unmindful of the claims of the 

 Amaranth to be inwoven in his undying verse, though he 

 imagines a flower which, transplanted from earth, should 

 bloom for ever in heaven. Describing the worship of the 

 Almighty Creator, when He had spoken to the angels of 

 the " new heaven and earth," he says, 



" To the ground 

 With solemn adoration down they cast 

 Their crowns inwove with Amarant and gold, 

 Immortal Amarant, a flower which once 



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